The notion of an Ozzy Osbourne biopic has been swirling for over two decades now. Famed rocker Ozzy Osbourne led and interesting and controversial life up until his passing in 2025. As well as being the Godfather of Metal, he permeated pop culture as a pioneer in family-centric reality TV with MTV’s The Osbournes.
This increased popularity lifted Ozzy Osbourne from a famous rock star to a global superstar. While rumors of an Ozzy Osbourne biopic first made headlines in 1998, it was after his passing that the conversation really kicked up a notch. So, is it actually happening? Here’s everything we know.
The Long Road to the Ozzy Osbourne Biopic
In 1998, screenwriter Ryan Jaffe watched the Ozzy Osbourne edition of Behind the Music. Focusing on the hectic up and down life of the hard rocker, the episode went much deeper than exploring the sensational headlines. While it did delve into the infamous bat biting and various other gross out stories, the documentary was interlaced with intimate interviews with his bandmates, record executives, and family members. What grabbed Jaffe’s attention the most was the bizarre love story between Ozzy and his wife Sharon Osbourne.
At the time, Jaffe was working as an assistant at Industry Entertainment. Expressing how he had stumbled on “the most amazing love story” he had ever seen, he got the blessing from his boss to develop the story into a screenplay, and even had meetings with Sharon and Ozzy. A deal was never made but Jaffe wrote a spec screenplay, saying he loved the story so much that he was “never able to let it go”. His script, Sharon, made it onto the 2018 Blacklist and gained some significant interest from producers and managers. However, the screenplay was written without any input from Ozzy or Sharon.
Sony Saves the Day
After things went dark for a while on the Ozzy Osbourne movie, the fuse was relit in 2021 when Sony announced it would be helming the story. Partnering with Polygram Entertainment, the biopic is reported to be a multipronged film that not only charts the life of Ozzy Osbourne during peak fame, but also his relationship with Sharon and his manager. Chronicling the timeframe of 1979-1996, this is a weighty period that was littered with upsets, tragedies, and controversies. 1979 was the year Ozzy was kicked out of Black Sabbath and formed his solo career. It was also in this stamp of time that he attempted to murder Sharon.
When speaking with Rolling Stone in 2020, Sharon promised a grittier take on the musical biopic genre, alluding that it would different to the likes of Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody. She also described how it won’t be a biopic solely about the music side of things, saying: “You don’t have to be a fan of the music, because it’s a story about a survivor. No matter what life throws at you, you pick yourself up and you start again.” However, it is worth noting that Oscar-nominated Rocketman screenwriter Lee Hall will be scribing the movie. As of yet, a director is reported to be attached but hasn’t been named.
Who Will Star as Ozzy in the Movie?
Before he passed away on July 22, 2025, Ozzy would regularly discuss the biopic with his family on The Osbournes Podcast. Although he once joked that he’d like Denzel Washington play him in the biopic, really he wasn’t interested in who took on the role, saying: “I don’t give a s***. Just tell me when it’s out so I can go see it.” However, there was one actor he disapproved of. When Jack Osbourne showed Ozzy a picture of Bill Hader (Barry, Superbad), he simply said “f*** off”.
Following his passing, fan casting went wild for the Ozzy Osbourne biopic. Names like Austin Butler, Jack Kilmer, Dacre Montgomery, and Jack O’Connell were thrown around like wildfire. When Piers Morgan suggested pop star Yungblud to Sharon in an interview, she gave a coy “I’m not saying a word” response. Although she has expressed interest for Florence Pugh to play her in the film.
By January 2026, a director and a “phenomenal actor” became attached to the movie. This was revealed during an interview with Jack Osbourne but no names were given. However, it did provide solid proof that the film is still moving forward. Jack also revealed that the script is going through a rewrite. The currently untitled movie is aiming for a 2027 theatrical release.
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